We’re thrown in instantly to a massive world changing event followed by a universe changing event. I’m not wholly convinced that Snyder is the best man for this kind of thing, as much as he seems to be enjoying it, but it did have a more grounded and logical approach than the nuttiness of Metal so far and I’ll stick around a little while.

Waaaay behind on the weeklies here, by about 3-4 weeks in some cases.
I’ve powered thru a small bunch of trades and magazines so it’s time to get back to the digitalis and try to get up to date.

Couple of small comments;

I found Flavour # 1 by Joe Keatinge from Image really hard to get into or care about. There’s just too much comics of too many styles out there for something like this not to get lost in the haystack.

On the other hand the new World of Tanks series by Ennis got off to a good start. Part educational part entertainment - that’s always a good blend for me, I feel if I’m learning something interesting along the way it always hits a spot.
PJ Holden’s art just keeps getting better. There was a time when I wasn’t too keen on his work, but its long since past. This would have been a time consuming book for him because Ennis is a stickler for getting the vehicles, uniforms and weaponry of the time correct - so there would have been some studying of reference materials involved.

On the other hand the new World of Tanks series by Ennis got off to a good start. Part educational part entertainment - that’s always a good blend for me, I feel if I’m learning something interesting along the way it always hits a spot.
PJ Holden’s art just keeps getting better. There was a time when I wasn’t too keen on his work, but its long since past. This would have been a time consuming book for him because Ennis is a stickler for getting the vehicles, uniforms and weaponry of the time correct - so there would have been some studying of reference materials involved.

I was with the iFanboy team that said this is the latest part of Ennis going through publishers to tell the war stories he loves but sell like shit. This time grabbing onto a video game license and then just doing what he does so well.

I love it but when this crashes I think it’s a Call Of Duty series for IDW.

Batman - the creative team here continue to impress with their craft, this is a Batman story and he’s on almost every page and only says one word. It’s The Joker that talks and talks and talks his way through the issue. King and Janin on top form.

I’m okay with the take but one thing that may upset some is King’s Joker is pretty sadistic, I don’t think this book is very suitable for a family audience. It can be quite disturbing.

I don’t like this Joker at all. I think a big issue with making Joker so sadistic, on top of it feeling sometimes more unpleasant than you want from a Batman book, is that it makes Batman seem ineffective and like a terrible hero. In this issue Joker shoots a dozen people in the head at their wedding and Batman just dicks around with him, including letting one hostage get shot right in front of him. It just doesn’t work.

No issue with Janin’s visual depiction of the Joker, which I like a lot.

The final book I got this week was Man of Steel, which I continue to enjoy. After two issues at DC, Bendis is adopting their style of stuffing their issues (I feel like DC overstuffs and Marvel decompresses, but maybe that’s me). There’s a lot going on here, clearly told, and a nice mix of big threats and small threats, Clark and Superman, etc, with Bendis using a “voice” that doesn’t really feel like anything he’s done to date. So far so good.

I so want Al Ewing to be just given an uninterrupted run on a book he wants to do. He was brilliant on 2000ad and his Jennifer Blood comic was genius, Garth Ennis set up a rather throwaway idea of The Punisher as a soccer mom and he took it to really great places examining basically how the whole thing was a descent into mental illness.

So far at Marvel he just flits about from relaunch to crossover and relaunch again. None of it bad but quite frustrating. Hopefully Hulk, which is usually kept pretty standalone compared to Avengers books, will be the place he can make his name there.

This issue puts a lot more focus on the eponymous Xerxes, setting out some key moments from his life in an invigoratingly non-chronological fashion. In fact, the book early on announces the death of its lead, which is an unexpected turn that immediately puts you on your toes.

And Miller keeps you there throughout, offering up giant splashpage after giant splashpage of his big, bold art. It’s so effective that the book almost feels like it’s growing in your hand, like the art is getting so big that it wants to escape the page.

Miller has lots of fun with the ambiguous nature of historical storytelling here. While we’re told about factual events like Xerxes’ death, the writer acknowledges the numerous possibilities of how he might have got there (shades of “If I’m going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice”), and the result is a ride through time that makes you actively question the nature of history.

That’s not to say that there aren’t more straightforward story pages here, and they’re executed with Miller’s characteristic style and rhythm.

And in the second half of the book - which jumps back to tell us about an earlier episode from Xerxes’ life - we get to see another facet of the character, as well as enjoying more games with the interpretation of history.

I won’t say more for fear of spoilers, but this is a great character study that makes you think as much about the ambiguity and unreliability of history as about Xerxes himself, more than justifying the decision to slow down the overall story of the series this issue to flesh out such a key player.

It’s so good to be getting a full-length Frank Miller comic every month, and I’m delighted that the quality has been so excellent so far.

Seems that Miller’s drawing got better than the last time. As a matter of fact, after Holy Terror and some art he did for Master Art, I thought this guy should be forever banned from using pencils and ink.

Seems that Miller’s drawing got better than the last time. As a matter of fact, after Holy Terror and some art he did for Master Art, I thought this guy should be forever banned from using pencils and ink.

Holy Terror and Master Race both contained some great Miller art, for me. It’s difficult to see past some of the unpalatable Islamophobic content of Holy Terror, but it also had pages like this.

Which starts to fade and give way to blank panel grids, making a powerful point about how deaths in situations like this feel less and less personal as the death toll rises, effectively rendering them just statistics by a certain point.

I heard, but I don’t like those stories. Some say it was due to alcoholism, some say cancer, some say girlfriend… But to me, he was a way better writer than artist and the best art by him IMO, he did when he begun drawing for Marvel - late 70s/early 80s. His art was TDKSA is odious just to look at (despite he did okay few years back in 300) and the writing wasn’t any better. But I am glad Miller is back!

But to me, he was a way better writer than artist and the best art by him IMO, he did when he begun drawing for Marvel - late 70s/early 80s. His art was TDKSA is odious just to look at (despite he did okay few years back in 300) and the writing wasn’t any better. But I am glad Miller is back!

Miller has intentionally shifted his style over the years. It has become more abstract, less realistically-proportioned, and has embraced more cartoonish, exaggerated aspects. I think it’s an interesting progression, but I can totally see why some fans of his earlier stuff would see it as a step down.

Oh, I am sorry Dave, I was writing previous post, so I didn’t see your comment.

Ironically, Ronin is the first example of his cartoonish, exag style, but I think it worked there for the best. Over the years, I grew less and less fond of it. Miller’s art strenght lies in framing and facial expressions (except the latter, while appreciate the attempt in HT, it simply doesn’t cut it) and I give him credit for it.

As for those images, I stopped reading Holy Terror after 10 or so pages. The long shot on Statue of Liberty visually looks powerful, the third so-so, the second reminds me why I quit with Holy Terror.
Btw, are you sure Miller drew the last three?

Agreed and I think the further the distance gets from its release the more people start to realise this

Think one of the main problems was it was not what folk were expecting, plus Miller was starting to build a reputation in his personal life for saying some stuff that some folk don’t like and that fed into the critical response to his work

Indeed, and as above with the thoughts on Holy Terror, I hope the merits of that book also start coming to life.
I won’t call them perfect, but Miller is a master and those books contain some incredible sequences and clever stagings from him.

The main problems I have with TDKSA, beside art (just look at Robin’s hand is some panel, they are bigger than his head), is sharp decline in tone and style compared to TDKR. He made Dick Grayson psychopath and when Batman hurled him into lava pit, and just coldy replied:“So long, Boy Wonder”. And for the book about The Dark Knight, this sure spends much time with the titular character. I believe Justice League Strikes again would be more appropriate; but then again, TDKR was kinda similar, but much less intensified in that manner.
And I don’t think that sequels work after being made after so many years.
(Terror is to me also terrible, but for other reasons, compared to amazing Prey).